No One There, a Folktale

Stories are told all over the place. They just vary according to people’s traditions and culture. Here, in Cuzco, you often hear tales of condenados (the damned), ghosts, the machos (the ancient ones), trolls, and more. All of them form part of our culture and our traditions.

In many places you hear about people roaming around after they have died. In most places it is terrifying, while for others it is merely something unheard. A couple of years ago they told a story of a girl who died in the neighborhood of San Jerónimo in Cuzco. After her death, many people claimed to have sees her walking around the neighborhood.

Many souls roam after death hoping to do something that will let the rest in peace such as, for example, obtaining the forgiveness of their family members, being able to say good bye to some friend, or more.

Our story for today begins on a highway that comes to the City of Cuzco. A taxi was passing through a town at midnight on its way home after leaving its passengers in another town. The driver could not help feeling tired but the desires to see his family were stronger and he continued his way.

He saw a woman standing by the side of the road with her arm out to stop the taxi. The driver stopped and picked up the woman before continuing onward. They started conversing in order to not be bored during the ten minutes of travel together. When the driver looked in his rearview mirror he could not see the woman. There was no one in his back seat.

With his hair standing on end he continued his way until he got home. This man was good and for that reason nothing had happened to him. Other men who are bad might try to take advantage of a solitary woman at night. They had suffered accidents and many other results.

People say it is always wise to not pick people up at night since they could be thieves or murderers. Or something like in this story could happen. You pick up a passenger, go on your way, look back and there is no one there.